Mental Health and Adult Education

In this chapter, the author argues that while adult education is being encouraged to concentrate more heavily on providing for larger constituencies of students previously excluded from education, it also needs to take into account the higher levels of mental distress that these students are experiencing. Social and economic changes and inequalities are putting increasing pressures on students, further exacerbated by funding cuts. If positive and effective educational services are to be offered to disadvantaged students, then adult education needs to be more aware of mental health issues.